2017-11-29
Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili:
Greetings,
I am excited to welcome Prime Minister Pavel Filip, the Prime Minister of Moldova, Georgia's friend nation, on his first official visit to Tbilisi. Moldova is a country we deeply appreciate, and I am truly happy that my friend, Prime Minister Pavel Filip, has made a decision to embark on an official visit and, at the same time, attend the Silk Road Forum in Tbilisi.
We are also honored and privileged to host the delegation accompanying the Prime Minister, and I am glad we had a chance to discuss very interesting issues.
Throughout the years, strong and successful cooperation has developed between our countries in both bilateral and multilateral formats, and this partnership rests upon the principles of friendship and mutual respect.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Georgia and Moldova, and I am happy that, this anniversary year, has seen exceptional activity in our bilateral relations, as evidenced by intensive high-level visits and meetings during international forums.
Importantly, we must keep these positive dynamics and further deepen our bilateral relations.
Allow me to emphasize the productive sectoral cooperation between Georgia and Moldova. Our countries' relevant agencies are engaged in successful legal, law enforcement, customs, education, and tourism cooperation.
During today's meeting, we confirmed our commitment to continuing experience sharing in areas of common interest.
At the same time, we seek significantly to deepen our economic relations, and tap maximally into the existing potential. In this regard, we welcome the findings of the 1st Meeting of the Bilateral Intergovernmental Economic Commission hosted by Tbilisi along with the Georgia-Moldova Business Forum in April 2017. I am convinced that the commission's work and growing business contacts will boost our trade and economic ties.
We have also agreed to hold the next meeting of the Bilateral Intergovernmental Economic Commission in early 2018, which may coincide with the next GUAM Summit to be held in Chisinau, most likely next spring.
We welcome this signing of several agreements as part of this visit, which precondition the further deepening of our sectoral cooperation.
I am happy to point out that the numbers of Moldovan visitors in Georgia is growing significantly year after year, with a 20% growth over the past 10 months, which promotes stronger people-to-people contacts between our two countries.
I also welcome the enhanced cooperation agenda between our Ministries of Culture, which will further cement our countries' cultural ties.
In addition, we have agreed to facilitate Georgian Days in the Republic of Moldova, and also invite our colleagues, representatives of Moldovan culture, to Georgia, with a view to spurring cultural exchanges between our countries.
During today's meeting, we also focused in the vital issue of EU integration.
A few days ago, our countries participated in the Eastern Partnership Summit. Together with the EU member states, we adopted a future-oriented declaration that focuses on practical deliverables.
At the summit, we set concrete deliverables for 2020 which, as a result of drawing closer to the EU, will create even greater opportunities for our countries' development, also providing our citizens with tangible benefits.
Georgia and Moldova have one goal in common, that of full EU integration.
Along with deepening bilateral relations with the EU, our countries are actively sharing their experience on the path of reforming as part of EU integration. During our bilateral meeting, we had a chance to exchange information about our countries' reforms. I am truly pleased with what I heard about the reforms implemented by Prime Minister Filip in the Republic of Moldova. I congratulate him on this striking achievement. Fundamental reforms are underway in Moldova toward European integration, comprehensive governmental and institutional reforms, which is truly commendable, because we appreciate it. We are happy to see each other succeed, because we are pursuing one strategy, that of European integration. We are ready to continue this productive cooperation that will assist both countries in achieving their common goal.
As it was emphasized during the meeting, Georgia and Moldova have faced a myriad of challenges over the past 25 years. These challenges are as similar as our aspirations, and constant support of each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity is what unites our friendly nations.
Consequently, close cooperation in multilateral formats is yet another priority we share.
We also welcome the fact that a large business delegation visited our two-day forum. Representatives of 27 companies attended the Tbilisi Silk Road's One Belt-One Road Forum, and we welcome the further advancement of our bilateral relations, namely this dimension of bilateral economic relations.
In closing, I very much hope that today's official visit will be yet another promise of the further deepening of Georgia-Moldova political, economic, and cultural relations, which certainly have a solid foundation.
My dear friend, please accept my sincere wishes for success. I am truly excited that this visit to Georgia has come true!
Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova Pavel Filip:
Dear Prime Minister,
Representatives of Media and Government,
Firstly, I would like to thank Georgia for warmly welcoming us here. My delegation and I are truly enjoying our stay in Tbilisi.
I have had a chance to experience firsthand Georgia's fabled hospitality.
We believe that Georgia is a very close friend of the Republic of Moldova, not just a partner, but a true supporter.
That it is my first visit to Georgia does not mean that our communication started today. We have long established quality communication at a prime ministerial level, and Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili often discuss common issues and objectives.
This visit is very important and symbolic as we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations, which reaffirms the success of our bilateral relations and testifies to our long-standing friendship that goes back much further than 25 years.
Together with Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, we discussed many aspects of our bilateral relations: political dialogue, cultural and institutional cooperation.
Our countries prize the goal we singled out today, that is, pragmatic thinking that assists us in development. There are numerous ways to develop these relations.
We launched cooperation under the Intergovernmental Commission, and I am happy that we had a chance to set this process in motion. This commission is a very good, important platform for eliminating trade and economic barriers in our relations. Yesterday, I had an opportunity to participate in the Silk Road Forum, for which I once again express my gratitude to you. I am convinced that this initiative will lay the foundation for new opportunities. As the Prime Minister pointed out, besides our governmental delegation, we are also accompanied by business representatives, which is truly gratifying. Over the past two days, they had ample opportunity to consult local counterparts about Georgia's economy.
To create beneficial conditions in this regard, we signed the declaration on preventing double taxation and elimination of tax evasion, a very important document to both countries and investors, as it advances the elimination of barriers.
Our countries also share numerous structural similarities because we are both parties to the Association Agreement. In November, we had an opportunity in Brussels to prove that there is strong mutual support and cooperation between our countries. We agreed to further advance our close ties because we share the common goal of European integration, which is very important to us.
In unity, we can achieve much more, as we are stronger and more capable, able to draw closer to the EU faster.
I would like to thank and congratulate the Georgian Government for its successful GUAM chairmanship. We are building on this excellent tradition during our chairmanship in 2018. We are excited to serve in this capacity in 2018, and we want to prove as productive as possible.
I avail myself of this opportunity to stress how important exchange of ideas and prospects is regarding such vital issues as conflicts in our countries. Unfortunately, our countries share both positive and negative experiences, the latter related to territorial conflicts. In this context, we agreed to maintain regional solidarity for each other, which is crucial for achieving common goals. Communication and exchange of ideas is crucial in assisting each other tackle this problem. Every step, every achievement we have on this path we want to share with Georgia, and this way we will have much better results.
In addition, we discussed our common interests in the areas of science, culture, and education. We want to see greater mobility among students and professors. We also want greater attention paid to research cooperation. The Ministry of Culture and Research of Moldova and the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia maintain very important relations, and we have already planned future cooperation between these ministries in 2017-2020.
As Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili already mentioned, we have planned Days of Moldovan Culture in Georgia and Georgian Days in the Republic of Moldova.
Once again, thank you for hosting us. Allow me to extend to you an invitation to visit the Republic of Moldova to continue our productive cooperation.
Once again, thank you so much. Our dialogue has proved very productive, and the Georgian side has showed a great deal of hospitality.
Thank you!